“It just BLEW UP. I was staring right at it. And it just POOOOOPH.”
“We could have been on that boat, Marion,” says Hucka. “We could have been blown up too!”
“Blown up *real* good,” added Philip from the couch.
Nada and Lexi walk in from the back. “We heard the explosion!” says Nada. “What happened?”
“Newton’s sim skipping ship blew up that’s what happened,” uttered Marion, still reeling from the shock. How are they going to get, well, to wherever they were going *now*?
“Good,” says Philip, producing stares from all.
“Newton’s probably *dead*, Philip,” says Marion. “Now no brothers in the Orange family are left. What of poor Mama Mitchell?”
“Welll, how old is she? Is she, you know, too old to have kids now? What, you know, I’m saying is that they can be replaced. Maybe.”
“NOT the point, Philip. A man is dead. His hard work has been destroyed too. We’ll never get another one like that.”
“You know,” said Hucka. “Philip might be right. Oh, not about Newton being dispensable of course but us leaving. Maybe it’s good we’re not able to leave now. Philip… you have your opium plants. And Marion, you have your pot field.”
“It’s *both* our field,” says Philip. “But… go on… *I’m* at least listening.”
“And what about Phil?” she says, confusing all.
“I’m right here.”
“No not you Phil-IP. Phil. With no -ip at the end. Down at the Rhino. We’re suppose to talk to him. Maybe he can’t be communicated with at any other location.”
“Possibly,” allows Marion, also wondering about all the aspects of “we” she mentioned.
“Hey Marion,” asks Philip out of left field, suddenly remembering a glimmer of something else in all the excitement. “Whatever happened to that girl we were with? You know, the shape shifter. Helen I believe. Hermania.”
“Heidi,” spoke Marion from the window. “Heidi Hunt Ives.” Every Blue Moon Philip brings her up. And then promptly forgets again.
“Yeah… her.”
Marion didn’t answer because he knew she was at the bottom of a sea too, just like Newton’s sunken vessel out there. Our stolen “Little Bug.” Tears come to his eyes as he watches the still lingering smoke from the explosion drift around the bay. He tried to save her, he really did. He rationalizes he did the best he could… working by himself. If only Philip could have helped.
“I’m coming Little Bug!” **leap**
Sunklands 